When Jonathan Miller isn’t traveling or sitting courtside at Milwaukee Bucks games, he’s back at his farm in Portland, Oregon.

The growing season in the northwestern state, which has been his home since 2015, provides him with the flexibility to manage Doe Doe Farms, run his custom apparel business, and serve as head of security for his cousin, Damian Lillard, an Olympic gold medalist and nine-time NBA All-Star. Lillard occasionally visits the farm to check on Miller’s progress, shoot videos, or bring the family over to hang out.

In Oregon — where there are only 74 Black farmers, about 0.1% of the state’s total producers, according to the 2022 Census of Agriculture — Black representation matters, he said.

For the father of three, it’s about creating generational wealth and promoting self-sufficiency, while also demonstrating that Black farmers can be multifaceted. What started as a personal project for his family turned into a sustainability initiative aimed at helping those around him, especially in a state where 21% of Black households faced food insecurity and struggle to access healthy, locally grown food.  

Miller is among a growing group of Black farmers across the country on a quest to empower the next generation of farmers as Black people are aging out of the industry and facing challenges in protecting their land. But he’s putting his own spin on it by branching out into fashion. He recently launched his Beat The Sun capsule collection with Lifted Research Group (LRG), which was designed by his brother Brookfield Duece. Through the collaboration, Miller hopes to bring awareness about farming and inspire people to go after their dreams, he said. 

“Just because I’m a farmer don’t mean I’m not involved in other things. It’s possible to do more than just one thing,” the 41-year-old said. “We don’t have to wait or don’t have to go to the store to get what we need. I can grow it myself.”

Miller is leveraging his connections while also keeping his community top of mind. 

This is the first farmer’s collection with LRG, thanks to Josh Mason, sports marketing director for LRG and founder of Stamped Sports Entertainment, a sports management agency. Mason, a former athlete who has several top NBA clients, utilizes his relationships to empower Black people and build brands. He doesn’t just work with athletes, he also strives to change the lives of everyday people.

He helped secure a 50-50 split endorsement deal between LRG and Derrick Lambert, the 40-year-old Arkansas native who went viral after a group of women clowned his outfit. In his defense, he asked them “I ain’t fresh?” which became a meme and invoked national conversation across social media. For Mason, the collaboration was an opportunity to create financial gain for Lambert in a viral moment that could soon fade. 

“A lot of the conversations and advice I was giving him [was] …  to run this up as much as you can,” Mason added. “Who knows how long you’ll stay viral? But at least you’ll get a head start financially to help you out.”

In the case of Miller, Mason met him through Lillard and Jae Crowder, a power forward for the Sacramento Kings who is a close friend of Mason and former college roommate. Mason says he built a genuine relationship with Miller and wanted to bring value to Doe Doe Farms. 

“With this partnership with John as a Black farmer, we don’t see too many of those. And to be connected to a top 75 NBA player of all time, and his own business has nothing to do with basketball? I think it’s pretty cool,” Mason told Capital B.  “This whole collaboration was organic because … his whole family wore LRG when they were in Oakland. There’s actually a video of Dame (Lillard) when he’s like 12 years old with John’s brother wearing LRG. It’s an organic connection.”

“Beat the sun” to stay ahead of the game

The east Oakland, California, native didn’t exactly grow up on a farm. 

His grandparents’ humble backyard garden was where he learned to till the soil to plant cucumbers, tomatoes, and other vegetables. Although he’s been farming his entire life, he officially established Doe Doe Farms in 2019. For the past four years, he has been able to donate his harvest to food banks, churches, and friends in the community. 

Inspired by the lessons from his grandparents, Miller taught himself how to farm by reading and getting in the field. He started cultivating marijuana then CBD hemp on about 30 acres of land. But, it didn’t go as planned, so he pivoted in 2021 to what he knew best: growing fruits and vegetables.

“When I figured out what a plant needs to grow and what they eat and all that, it was a little easier to feed the ground, instead of just trying to feed through drip lines or feed through irrigation pumps,” Miller said. “Before the season, I treat it, I test the soil, and I figure out what’s in the ground already.”

From planting to running drip lines to cutting the grass, Miller does it all solo. He also self-funds his farm. He doesn’t have the additional manpower to apply for funding or find grants. Being a one-man farm can be taxing, but being consistent and prepared helps him to work more efficiently.

Every October, he leaves for Milwaukee to work as security, but around April or May, he’s back in Portland in time for the farming season. He gets up around 4:00 a.m., gets dressed, heads to the farm and begins planting. He starts his produce inside and transports them to his greenhouses. It’s where he coined the phrase “Beat The Sun,” which is also the name of his collection.

“A lot of people look at their day and be like, ‘Man, I only got this amount of time.’ [Whereas] I’m like, ‘How can I increase my day?” he said. “A lot of things that are strenuous, it gets done early in the morning before the sun comes up. If I beat the sun every day, then I’m ahead of the game.”

His dedication is part of what he teaches young people. Last year, he started Eat What You Grow, a program for families to learn about farming and teach them how to grow their own produce. Whether it’s strawberries or watermelons, he wants everyone to enjoy the learning experience and be proud of where their food comes from. 

“I’m just ready to teach younger kids and teach people that it is possible because a lot of Black guys my age that come from inner city … [are] in a neighborhood where no one looks at farming as a necessity,” he said. “I’m trying to change the narrative of what I’m doing.”